Interview of "The Gift" reader

In english class we have been reading essays and discussing our class's two essential questions: What kind of world is this and how should we live in it? So, far we have read the Singer Solution for World Poverty and a biographical essay on Zell Kravinsky called The Gift. After we read the essays we interveiwed a classmate and asked them any signifigant questions in the form of an interveiw.

Questions for The Gift’s Readers
Host: Hello, and welcome to Philanthropy through Philosophy! Today we will be introducing a very special guest to our show and discussing the life and Philanthropic movement of Zell Kravinsky through his biography, The Gift and here she is ladies and gentlemen, our very special guest!
VSG: Hello everyone I am very happy to be here, and look forward to tackling this essay with you all. Where shall we begin?
Host: Well, let’s first discuss perhaps the reason lying behind Kravinsky’s captivation and devotion to giving; Zell had mentioned to the author of The Gift that he gives all that he does so that he can get out of himself and escape from his “ego.” Do you think that this is the only reason for his “gifts,” and if so, does this mean that his real goal is to not to help others but to help himself?
VSG: I think in some ways he really wants to help others, but I think that maybe his main reason is trying to fulfill himself in ethical ecstasy because he never really talks about the people who received the stuff from him except for the lady who received his kidney.
Host: That’s true. Do you think that Zell feels some responsibility for the emotional and personal side of his children and family’s well being, rather than just their physical health and security?
VSG: I think that he does, but that there are people more needy than his children, there are people with bigger problems than his children, so he feels that he has to help the people with bigger problems.
At first, I thought that he really cared about giving toward his family, like he put his job aside—“quitting real estate would bring him closer to his family. ‘I said I’d have more time for the kids.’”
Host: I agree. Zell mentioned that anyone who is not giving away their kidney and/or devotes their whole life to others is a murderer, so does that mean that Zell is the only one who is not a murderer or who is a moral person in this world?
VSG: I think that Zell Kravinsky thinks that everyone is a killer to some degree because they could be saving someone else if they just gave a little more. I don’t think that Zell Kravinsky thinks that he’s a completely moral person because he could still give more.
Host: Good point. Why do you think Zell feels such a need to supplement the needs of others in the first place?
VSG: Mmm, maybe just because he feels that he can, like he has the resources to supplement for others.
Host: Well, do you think Zell is morally decent?
VSG: Ya, I think he’s morally decent because he’s just trying to do what his morals tell him is morally decent. And because he knows he’s doing as much as he can to help others in need.
Host: If he was he was doing everything he is doing for others now, but, didn’t consider himself morally decent would you still consider him morally decent?
VSG: Hmmm…well, I think part of the reason he is morally decent is because he is trying to help others but he’s not doing it for some ulterior motive.
Host: So, it’s the way in which he approaches it that makes him morally decent to you?
VSG: Ya.
Host: Why is his motive so important?
VSG: Mmm…I feel like if I were donating everything to other people because I wanted to help them then I would feel more morally fulfilled than if I were doing it to impress other people or if I had another reason, like if someone told me to donate everything or some other reason.
Host: Would you consider yourself a morally decent person according to Zell’s standard?
VSG: No.
Host: Why not?
VSG: Umm, well because Zell Kravinsky would probably think I was a murderer like on the first page when he was talking to his friend after the second paragraph, like someone umm, well somebody asks Kravinsky “Do you mean that anybody who is not donating his or her kidney is taking someone’s life?” and then Kravinsky says “yes”.
Host: And so how does that make you immoral to his standard?
VSG: Umm, well, o.k. After Kravinsky says yes, his friend asked if then he was a murderer and then Kravinsky says yes. And so I guess I would be a murderer and I don’t think that Kravinsky would think that some one who is a murderer is a morally decent person.
Host: Do you consider yourself a morally decent person to your own standards?
VSG: Um, yes. Like I think that I’m a morally decent person but um I think that I could do more to become a morally better person.
Host: What could you do? And what does morally “better” mean?
VSG: Um I guess I could like do more community service and just like try to help others more.
Host: So what does morally better mean?
VSG: Hmm, wait, I guess to just improve my lifestyle by using morals more frequently to make decisions.
Host: What do you use to make decisions now?
VSG: Well, sometimes my morals, but I don’t really think about that too much... I guess I just make decisions on what I feel like doing or what I think that out come will be by doing certain things.
Host: What do you think Kravinsky uses to make decisions?
VSG: Umm, I think well Kravinsky uses logic in numbers and stuff that like help him make decisions but he also uses his morals because he is able to rationalize with himself like by giving so much more he can save so many lives and um, ya, so like I think it’s like on his conscience like when he spends his money he thinks about all the needy people who he could be saving, I think that like how most Americans don’t really think about the people who are really needy but Kravinsky sees all the numbers and like how much he can help if he makes certain decisions.
Host: Do you think that after reading this article you might think more in numbers than in feelings from now on?
VSG: Hmm not really.
Host: Why not?
VSG: Um... I can’t, like, like the numbers don’t compel me as much as they probably do Kravinsky.
Host: Why do you think that numbers are more compelling to Kravinsky than to you?
VSG: Umm, I’m not sure why numbers are more compelling to Kravinsky than to me but sometimes I’m just like, if some on tells me a statistic or something I’m not always like oh my gosh, like I don’t consider myself someone who get s that enthusiastic over numbers and statistics and all of that.
Host: Do you consider Kravinsky to be more or less moral than yourself?
VSG: Um, I think Kravinsky is probably more than myself because he is probably making more of an effort than I am.
Host: Do you wish that you would think in numbers and would this make you more moral?
VSG: Um, I don’t really, well I mean I’m kind of used to my thinking. I don’t think I’d really want to change it but I think anyone, not matter how they think can be as morally decent as any one else.
Host: Who is the most moral person you know?
VSG: I don’t know because like I guess if I talked to everyone I knew, I don’t know any one person who would have the most morally decent life because I don’t know their definition of what a morally decent life is and I don’t know what they are doing to become a morally decent person.
Host: Kravinsky tries almost too hard to be moral, and knowing from The Gift what he considers to be moral, would he be a candidate for being the most morally decent person you know?
VSG: Umm it’s hard to say because I don’t really know him like I think he’s a really morally decent person, so maybe he’s a candidate but I might be more inclined to choose someone who I know and who I’ve seen the sacrifices of and what they’ve had go through emotionally.
Host: Thank very much, but unfortunately we are just about out of time. Ladies and gentlemen please tune in with us again next week, as we will be going over the just as controversial, Singer solution to world poverty.